Switch



L. W. CROMPYON AND W". J. GRAHAM.

SWITCH.

'APPLHIZATION H uzn JULYB. 1920.

1,354,355, Patented Jan. 4,1921;

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' L. w. GROMPTON AND- w. 1. GRAHAM SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY3. 1920.

' Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

awuewtom L/OAEL WCROMDZUZV W/L [AMj GRAMM L W. CROMPTON AND W. J. GRAHAM.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILM? JULY 3. 1920.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

- L/OA/EL WCROI 01V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SWITCH.

Application filed July 3, 1920.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that we, LIONEL W. CnoMr- TON, a citizen of the United States, and WILLIAM J. GRAHAM, subject of the King of England, residing at Tampa, in the county of Hillsboro, State of Florida, have invented new and useful Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tramway switches, and more particularly to the operating mechanism adapted to control the same, it being an object of the invention to provide a novel form of operating mechanism which may be moved into operation by the motorman, of the car equipped with the mechanism, and eliminating the necessity of the motorman leaving his car to opcrate the switch.

A further object of the invention is to provide an operating means which will be automatically disengaged from the switch mechanism, after the car passing over the switch, has moved to a predetermined loca tion.

With the foregoing and other objects in 'view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and 1n the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings 2- Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of a switch mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 illustrates an enlarged detail view of the operating segment.

Fig. 3 illustrates a detail view of the operating arm associated with the segment.

Fig. 4 illustrates a side elevational vlew disclosing the housing for the operating mechanism in cross section.

Fig. 5 illustrates a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4:.

Fig. 6 illustrates a sectional. view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 illustrates a side elevational view partly in section of the operating mechanism carried by the car.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the

reference character 5 designates the rails of a track, while the reference character 6 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4, 1921.

Serial No. 393,960.

designates one of the rails of the intersectlng track, there being provided a movable switch point 7 for guiding a car to either of the tracks.

The operating mechanism for operating the movable switch point 7, includes a rod 8 which has an upwardly extending right angled end 9 which is connected to the mov' able point through the bracket member 10, so that movement of the rod 8 transversely of the track will act to move the switch point 7 to various positions.

This rod 8 is supported within a. housing indicated at 11 which is disposed directly under the rails of the track, and in the housing 11 are formed the bearings 12, which bearings support the ends of the rod 13 on which is mounted the movable block 14 held normally in a position intermediate the ends of the rod 13 by means of the opposed coiled springs 15 and 16 respectively, the coiled springs 15 being shown as larger than the coiled spring 16 to overcome the tension of the coiled spring 16 for the purpose of moving the point 7 to its normal or closed position after the same has been operated.

The block let has connection with one end of the rod 8 as by means of the bolt 17,

which passes through an opening formed.

in one end of the rod 8 so that movement of the block 14 will produce a relative movement of the rod 8 and the switch point 7 connected thereto. Movable on the rod 13 is a cam member 18 which abuts one extremity of the coiled spring 15 so that movement of the cam member 18 toward the block 142 will be cushioned to eliminate sudden jar which would be ordinarily directed to the movable point, and thus permit the switch to be operated when a car is moving rapidly thereover.

. Associated with the housing 11 is a gear housing 19, in which is mounted the shaft 20 which passes through one of the end walls of the housing 19, through the bearing 21, one end of the shaft being disposed in the housing 11 and provided with a cam 22 cooperating with the lug 23 formed on the cam member 18.

Mounted within the housing 19 adjacent to one extremity thereof, is a shaft 24: which' supports the relatively large pinion 25 that meshes with the beveled pinion 26 keyed or otherwisesecured to one end of the shaft 20 so that rotary movement of the pinion 25 is imparted to the shaft 20 through the pinion 26. Rotary movement of the pinion 1s caused by movement of the pawl 27, carried by the operating segment 28, the pawl being shown as coiiperating with the ratchet member 29 formed integral with the pinion 25, a coiled spring indicated at 30 being provided within the housing and has connection with the operating segment 28 to return the segment 28 to its normal position as illustrated by Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The operating segment 28 is supported on the shaft 24 and is provided with teeth 31 formed on the upper extremity thereof, which teeth mesh with the teeth 32 of the operating arm 33 that has the lugs 34 extending laterally from one of the side surfaces thereof, which lugs move in the groove 35 formed in the plate 36 which is also supported within the housing 19.

As shown, the groove 35 extends horizontally throughout a portion of its length, but is curved downwardly as at 37, adjacent to the forward end of the groove, so that the arm 33 is guided downwardly when the same reaches a predetermined point, for

purposes to be hereinafter more fully described.

A cut out portion 38 is provided at one extremity of the arm 33, and accommodates the hook member 39 which has one end thereof pivotally supported within the out out portion, a leaf spring 40 being secured to the arm 33, and contacting with the hook member 39 to normally hold the same in a position as indicated by Fig. 3 of the drawings, or in a position to be engaged by the controlling arm 41 which is carried by the car.

This controlling arm 41 is mounted to reciprocate vertically within the bearing member 42, which is supported under the car as by means of the bracket member 43, it being obvious that the positioning of the bearing member 42 and controlling arm 41 being such as will permit the motorman, of the car equipped with the device, to have easy access thereto.

The bearing member 42 has an opening 44 formed in the upper end thereof and through which operates the rod 45 that has connection with the arm 41 as at 46, the upper extremity of the rod 45 having a head 47 formed thereon, which head provides an abutment for the upper extremity of the spring 48, the lower extremity thereof being supported on the surface 49 of the bearing member 42.

The rod 45 is hollowed out for a portion of its length to accommodate the relatively small supporting rod 50 that has its upper extremity supported between the lugs 51, which are carried on the underside of the flooring indicated at 52, the extreme lower end of the rod 50 having connection with the bearing 42 as by means of the pin 53 which passes through the rod 50 and through the elongated openings 54 formed in the side rails of the rod 45. Thus it will be seen that the arm 41 is normally held out of operation by the tension of the spring 48, as previously described.

An operating pedal 55 extends through the flooring 52 and is supported by means of the arm 56 and bearing 57, the lower eX- tremity of the arm 58 which forms a part of the pedal 55, having connection with the horizontally disposed rod 59 to connect the pedal 55 with the toggle 60 that has one end thereof pivotally supported by means of the lugs 51 to the underside of the flooring 52 of the car, while the opposite arm of the toggle has connection with the head 47 of the rod 45 to cause a relative movement of the head and rod, upon movement of the toggle.

The arm 41 is cut away as at 61 to provide a clearance for one extremity of the locking lever 62 which is pivotally supported withinthe cut away portion as by means of the bolt 63, the lever 62 being however curved and pivoted adjacent to one end thereof so that the weight of the upper end of the lever 62 will operate to overbalance the lever and cause the notched portion 64 thereof to fall behind the shoulder 65 to maintain the arm 41 in its lowermost position, when the same has been moved to cause the operation of the switch mechanism.

It will be seen that when the switch has been actuated, slight pressure on the pedal will cause the arm 41 to move downwardly, causing the lever 62 to disengage the shoulder 65 .and return to its normal position as indicated by Fig. 7 of the drawings.

In the operation of the device, the arm 41 is moved downwardly by movement of the pedal 55, which movement causes the arm 41 to contact with the hook member 39 of the arm 33, which hook member lies in the path of travel of the arm 41. It is obvious that as the car proceeds, the arm 33 is moved longitudinally of its supporting plate 36, with the result that the operating segment 28 causes a rotary movement to be impartedto the pinion 25, which in turn imparts ro tary movement to the pinion 26 and its shaft 20, with the result that the cam 22 directs reciprocating movement to the movable switch point 7, through the cam mem ber 18.

Due to the construction of the groove 35, the arm 33 is moved out of contact with the arm 41 in a manner to permit the arm 41 to be returned to its normal position. It is of course understood that when the pressure on the pedal 55 has been relieved, the arm 41 will be returned to its normal position by the tension of the coiled spring 48 Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In combination with a track and movable switch point forming a part thereof, reciprocating means having connection with the movable switch point for moving the same. a housing disposed under the track, a relatively large pinion supported within the housing, an operating segment associated with the pinion, means carried by the seg ment, and cooperating with the pinion for moving the pinion to operate the reciprocating moans, means cooperating with the operating segments, for moving the operating segment in the opposite direction, and means for automatically returning the operating segment to its normal position.

2. In combination with a track and movable switch point forming a part thereof, reciprocating means having connection with the movable switch point, for moving the switch point, a housing supported under the track, a supporting plate within the housing, supporting plate having a groove formed therein, said groove being curved (lou'nn'ardly toward one end thereof, an arm having}; lugs, said lugs being disposed in the grom c, said arm having teeth formed thereon. an operating segment supported within the housing and having teeth cooperating with the first mentioned teeth whereby movement of the arm produces a relative movement of the segment, and means carried by a car passing over the track and contacting with the arm for moving the same.

In combination with a track and movable switch point forming a part thereof, means for moving the switch point, said means including a cam member, a housing, a shaft supported within the housing and having connection with the cam member for moving the cam member, a reciprocating arm having teeth, an operating segment having teeth in mesh with the first mentioned teeth, a pinion for operating the shaft, said pinion having a ratchet, a pawl carried by the operating segment and moving over the "atchet for causing rotation of the pinion, and means carried by a car moving over the track for operating the arm.

at. In combination with a track and movable switch point forming a part thereof, means for moving the switch point, a housing supported under the track, operating means disposed within the housing, said operating means including an operating arm, said operating arm having a pivoted hook member at one end thereof, and means carried by a car moving over the track, and adapted to contact with the hook member for causing the operation of the operating means.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

LIONEL WILLIAM OROMPTON. WILLIAM JAMES GRAHAM.

lVitnesses:

WV. P. CHAMBERLAIN, E. B. SMITH. 

